Certificate Overview
The Organizational Behavior Graduate Certificate develops your understanding of the dynamics that shape how people work, lead, and collaborate. In four online courses, you’ll build expertise in communication, motivation, group dynamics, leadership, and organizational design.
Designed for professionals seeking to elevate their leadership and management capabilities, this fully online certificate combines rigorous behavioral science with applied leadership practice.
97%
Of certificate earners would recommend the program
90%
Said the certificate prepared them for their next career steps
50%
Reported career growth even before completing the program
Skills You'll Gain
Through the Organizational Behavior Graduate Certificate, you’ll learn to:
- Analyze human behavior in organizations, examining the drivers of communication, motivation, and group dynamics that shape high-performing teams.
- Apply principles of leadership, power, and performance management to improve organizational impact and team effectiveness.
- Strengthen interpersonal, conflict resolution, and communication skills to navigate complex workplace dynamics.
- Evaluate strategic approaches to talent recruitment, training, labor relations, and organizational development to build and sustain high-performing organizations.
- Apply change management and organizational design principles to lead teams through complexity, transformation, and sustained performance challenges.
Career Outcomes
Demand for professionals who understand organizational behavior continues to grow as modern workplaces prioritize performance, leadership, and team synergy.
Organizational behavior certificate earners are employed at global organizations like:
- Boeing
- Citigroup
- HubSpot
- JP Morgan Chase
- Microsoft
- U.S. Air Force
They hold such titles as:
- Business Analyst
- Customer Success Manager
- Director of Operations
- Program Manager
- Principal
- Vice President
Courses
The Organizational Behavior Graduate Certificate includes four online courses:
- 1 organizational behavior course
- 1 conflict management course
- 2 elective courses
Selecting courses. Multiple course options are available during fall, spring, and summer terms. Offerings vary by term. Explore current options in the DCE Course Search & Registration platform.
Upcoming Term: Fall 2026
Enroll in your first certificate course this fall — no application required.
Pre-registration opens July 6. Registration opens July 20 at 9 a.m. ET.
Featured Faculty
Lee Bolman, Ph.D.
Professor and Marion Bloch/Missouri Chair in Leadership Emeritus, Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri - Kansas City
Tonya Echols, PsyD
Managing Principal, Vigere and Adjunct Faculty, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, William & Mary
Paul Green
Assistant Professor of Management, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
Nicholas Coburn-Palo, Ph.D.
Preceptor in Public Speaking, Harvard University
Stackable Certificates and Degrees
Stackable credentials allow you to earn multiple credentials by completing courses that meet overlapping requirements.
You may apply the two courses from the Advanced Negotiation & Conflict Resolution Microcertificate to this graduate certificate.
If you pursue a master’s degree in one of the following two fields, you can earn this graduate certificate along the way by completing courses that fulfill both certificate and degree requirements:
This approach allows you to build expertise in organizational behavior while making measurable progress toward your graduate degree.
Learn how to plan a stackable credential pathway.
Engaging in the program compelled me to adopt a mindset of critical thinking and encouraged me to delve deeper into complex business challenges and effectively communicate my ideas and strategies.
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in the field of Management, '23; Graduate Certificate in Organizational Behavior
Tuition
Support and Resources
Access to career resources, including webinars, advising, and career fairs
Weekly virtual office hours with the student advising team
Affiliate membership in the Harvard Extension Alumni Association
Earning Your Certificate
If you take two courses per semester, you can complete your certificate in 8 months. If you prefer a more flexible pace, you have up to three years to finish.
There is no formal application required. You simply register for each course.
To meet the requirements for the certificate:
- Complete the four certificate courses for graduate credit.
- Earn at least a B grade in each course.
- Complete all courses within three years of starting your first eligible certificate course.
Learn more about pursuing a certificate and the process of requesting your certificate.
